Washing, bleaching, and like machine



p J. LEVER ET Al. 1,728,767

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I] llu mvzmons Sept. 17, 1929. J. LEVER ET AL 1,728,767

WASHING, BLEACHING, AND LIKE IACHINB Filed Oct. 30. 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept. 17, 1929- J. LEVER ET AL WASHING, BLEACHING, AND LIKE CHINE Filed Oct. 30. 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet Patented Sept. 17, 1929 UNITED, STATES PATENT ()FFICE JOHN LEVER AND HAROLD HILL, 0F BOLTON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TO DOBSON 8t BARLOW LIMITED, OF BOLTON, ENGLAND, A BRITISH COMPANY WASHING, BLEACHING, AND LIKE MACHINE Application filed October 80, 1928, Serial No. 316,086, and in Great Britain December 7, 1927.

This invention is for improvements in or relating to washing, bleaching, and like machines, which phrase is intended to include such machines as desulphurizing machines, bleaching machines, soaping machines and other machines of a like character, such as are used, for example, in the manufacture of artificial silk, and has for one of its objects to provide a construction of machine in which the treatment of the articles shall be carried out with as little jar and shock as possible.

Machines of the aforesaid character have been proposed which comprise a more or less horizontal series of rollers on which carrierrods rest to be frictionally rotated, and a traverse bar extends along the series of rollers and is arranged to lift the carrier-rods from the rollers and deposit them in an advanced position along the series. It is a specific object of the invention to carry out this movement of the carrier-rods in a smooth steady non-jerky manner. A further object of the invention is to provide for moving the carrier-rods b a mechanism of a robust and efficient design, not entailing undue stress on its parts durin the operation of the machine. According to tfieprimary feature of the present invention, a machine embodying the parts just specified is provided, which is characterized in that it has two separate coordinated driving mechanisms for operating the traverse bar, whereof one mechanism imparts a reciprocating motion to the bar in the direction of its length, and the other mechanism imparts a rising and falling motion to the bar transversely of the direction of its length. It will be found that machines according to the present invention can be simply and cheaply manufactured and maintained and that they will operate efficiently and reliably.

Conveniently, each traverse bar driving mechanism has recurring periods during which it is inoperative to move the traverse bar, and the driving mechanisms are so coordinated that each is operative during the inoperative periods of the other. There may or may not be overlapping of the operative periods of the driving mechanisms, this being a. matter of choice or design accordin t cumstances. The traverse bar driving mechanism may take the form of cams, and they and the rollers may all be operated from a single source of power, if-desired with speedchangmg gear interposed between the traverse bar driving mechanisms and the said source of power.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, there will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, one construction of machine according to the invention. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not restricted to theprecise constructional details set forth. In these draw- 1ngs- Figure 1 is an end elevation of the machine, parts being shown in section for the sake of clearness;

Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33-of Figure 2, but on a scale larger than that of Figure 2, and I Figures 4, 5 and 6 are detail views of certain of the parts shown in Figure 2, but showing them in the different positions which they occupy during the working of the machine.

, Like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

The machine illustrated comprises a main frame 10, on which is mounted an electricmotor 11. The latter through a small spurwheel 12, and a larger one 13, drives a shaft 14 fixed on which are three change-speed gear-wheels 1.5, 16 and 17. Below the shaft 14 there is mounted a countershaft 18 carrying change-speed gear-Wheels 19, 20 and 21. These are loose upon the shaft 18, but can be secured thereto' by a sliding key 22 which can be brought into'engagement with any one of them. The Wheels 15, 16 and 17 and 19, 20 and 21, are in constant mesh respectively, and thus whichever one of the wheels 19, 20 and 21 is keyed to the shaft 18 will drive the latter, the speed of the shaft naturally depending upon the pair of gear-wheels selected. The key 22 is controlled as to its position along the shaft 18 by a collar 23 operated by any suitable means, not shown.

The wheel 15 on the shaft 14 is also in mesh with a gear-wheel 24 upon a shaft 25, which, by means of other wheels 26 and 27, drives a parallel shaft 28. This shaft 28 carries a worm 29 driving a worm-wheel 30 on a long shaft 31 which extends from end to end of one side of the machine. On the other side of the machine, there is a corresponding shaft 32 which is driven from the shaft 31 by the following gearing. The shaft 31 carries a gear-wheel 33 (see Figure 2) meshing with a wheel 34 on a shaft 35 which alsocarries a skew gear 36. This skew gear 36 meshes with a corresponding skew gear 37 carried upon a shaft '38 which reaches across from one side of the machineto the other, and car ries at the said other side a second skew gear 39 (Figure 1). The latter meshes with a corresponding skew gear 40 on a shaft 41 lying parallel with the shaft 32 and these two shafts are connected by gear-wheels 42 and 43. The gearing is such that the shafts 31 and 32 are driven at the same speed. Arranged along both sides of the machine are rows of short shafts 44 (shown most clearly in Figure 3) each of which carries a wormwheel 45 and a friction roller 46. The rollers 46 lie towards the middleof the machine, and the worm wheels 45 mesh with and are driven by, worms 47 upon the shafts 31 and 32. The rollers 46 lie on the inside faces of upturned channel frame-members 48 andunderneath these frame-member casings 49 are provided, which enclose the shafts 31 and 32 and their worms, and provide oil-troughs therefor. The two rows of rollers 46 are opposed to each other and between them the machine has a clear throughway from end .to end, so that rods 50 may be placed across the machine with each end resting upon the surfaces of two adjacent rollers 46. This position of the rods 50 is shown clearly in the left-hand portion of Figure 6. Upon the rods 50 skeins 51 of artificial silkor other material to be washed or otherwise treated are hung, and the rotation of therollers 46 servesbyf reason of the frictional engagement between the rollers and the rods 50, to rotate the latter and thus feed the skeins around the rods 50. There may be provided in conjunction with the machine, a mechanism for spraying lkguid upon the skeins, or vats may be provi ed into which the skeins dip while supported upon the rods 50. In the construction illustrated, a tray 52 is shown which is v intended to catch liquid sprayed on to the skeins by the spraying mechanlsm'mentioned above, which, however, is not illustrated in the drawings.

The rods 50 have to be automatically fed gradually from one end of the machine to the other, and for' this purpose traverse bars 53 are provided, one at each side of the machine. The traverse bars- 53 have notches 54 (see particularly Figures 4 to 6) upon their upper edges, which notches are spaced apart distances corresponding to the pitch of the rollers 46, and the notches are intended to receive the ends of the rods 50 and move them through the machine. The bars 53 are controlled by driving mechanisms which impart to the bars a rising and falling motion, and also a motion in the direction of the length of the bars. The rising and falling motion is imparted by cams 55 having side cheeks 56 between which the bars are received. Each cam 55 has a circular portion 57 comparatively close to the axis of the cam,'and another circular portion 58 a greater distance from the said axis. Each cam 55 is mounted upon a shaft 59 which also carries a wormwheel 60 driven-by a worm 61 upon a'shaft 62 extending from end to end of the machine. There is a shaft 62 at each side of the machine, and there are several worms 61 on each shaft 62 since these machines are usually made fairly long, and it is, therefore, desirable to have several cams 55- for raising and lowering the traverse bars. The two shafts 62 are driven from the aforesaid countershaft -18. For the purpose of driving that shaft 62, which is located on the same side of the machine as the countershaft 18, the latter ,carries a bevel-wheel 63, which drives another bevel-wheel 64 mounted upon a shaft 65 (see particularly Figure 2) which reaches towards the inside of the machineand carries a sprocket-wheel 66 which, through' a chain 67, drives a sprocket-wheel 68 on the said shaft 62. The countershaft 18 also pro jects towards the inside of the machine and has mounted upon it there a sprocket-wheel 69, which, through a chain 70, drives another wheel 71 mounted upon a shaft 72 which extends across the machine. 011 the other side of the machine the cross-shaft 72 carries a; sprocket-wheel 7 3 which, through a chain 74, drives a sprocket-wheel 75 on a shaft 76, "which is, in many respects, similar to the counter shaft 18. This shaft 76 drives that shaft 62 which is located at its side of the machine by means of a. pair of bevel-wheels 77 and 78, and chain-andsprocket-gearing 79, 80, 81 corresponding to the parts 63, 64, 66, 67 and 68 above described. The two shafts 62 are driven at the same speed, and thus the traverse bars 53 will rise and fall in synchronism. v

The endwise movement of the traverse bars 53 is' accomplished b rocker-arms 82, one for each traverse bar, w ich are pivoted at their lower endsoto the frame of the machine and carrying a worm-wheel 89 driven by a worm 90. The two worms 90 are mounted one upon each of the shafts 18 and 76 above-mentioned. Thus, the endwise movement of the traverse bars will be in synchronism.

It is-desirable that the direction of movement of the skeins 51 about their rods 50 should change at intervals during the traverse of the rods through the machine, in order to ensure that the treatn'ient of the slteins by the washing or other liquid shall be as thorough as possible. To ensure this reversal, the worms 4? upon the shafts 3i and 32 are. arranged in groupsof alternate hand. Thus, in Figure 2. counting from the right-hand end of the shafts 31 and 32 the tirst four worms are of one hand, then there are eight of the opposite hand, and finally. the tirst one is shown of a group which are of the same hand as the first four. Naturally, the effect of changing the hand of the worms will be to change the direction in which the corresponding rollers 46 are driven, and, consequently, the direction in which the rods 50 will he turned by the rollers. At the junction between two groups of rollers. which are driven in opposite directions, it is preferred to arrange that any rod 50 which may temporarily be located between the two oppositely rotating rollers shall be held out of contact therewith. For thls purpose, shelves 91 are provided. These shelves 9t ma also be provided between other rollers if it is desired, say temporarily, that over a part of their travel the rods 50 shall remain without rotation, to allow liquid to drain from the skcins, or for any other purpose.

At each end of the machine, there may be provided short stationary bars 92 having notches 93 in their upper surfaces corresponding to the notches 54 in the traverse bars These stationary bars 92 are for the purpose of assisting the operators to feed the rods 50 into the machine and to remove them therefrom. The bars 92 really form continuations of the supports afforded by the rows of rollers. and the traverse bars 53 are extended so as to overlap the bars 92.

The operation of the machine may be described as follows. An operator would feed the rods 50 in at one end of the machine by placing them upon the bars 92, and at the other end of the machine an operator would continuously remove the rods 50 from the bars 92 at that delivery end. The feeding movement which the traverse bars impart, to

a the rods 50 is as follows. In Figure 2, the

traverse bars are in their lowered position and are moved to the left, as seen in that figure. Most of the rods 50 are resting upon the rollers 46, and are being rotated thereby. There are, however, certain rods at each end which are resting upon the stationary bars 92, and

, there are the rods 50 which happen to be resting upon theshelves 91. As the movement of the machine proceeds, the cams 55 will raise the traverse bars into the position shown in Figure 4, in which the rods 50 have been lifted from the rollers 46, bars 92 and shelves 91. As shown in this figure, the lifting movement of the bars has just finished, and during the major part of this lifting movement the bars have been stationary, so far as longitudinal movement is concerned, since a portion of each cam-groove 86, which is at rightanglcs to the axis of the drum 87, has been passing the pin 85, but during the last part of the lifting movement there has also been some longitudinal movement since a sloping portion of the cam-groove 86 has just encountered the pin 85. During the movement of the parts from the position shown in Figure 4 to the position shown in Figure 5. the raised portion 58 of each cam maintains the traverse bars raised, and a sloping portion of each cam-groove 86 moves the traverse bars to the right, thus advancing the rods 50 one step. There is a short period of rest -'from longitudinal movement during this period of rest from vertical movement, since the stoping portion of the cam-groove 86 has just left the pin 85. The parts connnence now to move towards the position shown in Figure 6, and during this movement the cams lower the bars so as to deposit the rods 50 upon the rollers 46. or upon the bars 92 and shelves 91. as the case may be. During the major part of this lowering movement of the traverse bars, there is no longitudinal movement imparted to them since a portion of each camgroove 86, which is at right-angles to the axis of the drum 87, has been travelling past the pin 85, but during the last part of the lowering movement there is also some movement towards the left, as seen in Figure 6, due to the sloping portion of the cam-groove reaching the pin again. \Vhile the traverse. bars are resting upon the circular portions 57 of the cams 55, the bars are moved to the left by a curved portion of each cam-groove 86 so that the parts return to the position illustrated in Figure 2, there being again a short period of rest from both vertical and longitudinal movement.

Since the portion 57 of the cam 55 is longer than the portion 58, the traverse bars will remain lowered longer than they are raised, and the sloping portions of the cam-groove 86 are arranged accordingly, there being two sloping portions, one longer than the other.

It is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to the precise constructional details set forth, and also that the invention is not restricted to use in connection with the manufacture of artificial silk.

We claim:

1. A washing, bleaching or like machine, comprising a substantially horizontal series of rollers on which carrier-rods rest to be frictionally rotated, means for driving said to the bar in the direction of its length, and

the other mechanism imparts a rising and falling motion to the bar transversely of the direction of its length.

2. A washing, bleaching or like machine, having along each side a substantially horizontal'series of rollers, so that carrier-rods may reach across from one series of rollers to the other to be supported and frictionallyrotated thereby, means for driving said rollers, two traverse-bars one extending along each series of rollers and arranged to lift the carrier-rods from the rollers and deposit them in an advanced position along the series, and two separate co-ordinated driving mechanisms for synchronously-operating the two traverse-bars, both driving mechanisms operating upon each individual bar in such a manner that one mechanism imparts a reciprocating motion to the bars in the direction of their length, and the other mechanism imparts a rising and falling motion to the bars transversely of the direction of their length.

3. A washing bleaching or like machine, comprising a su stantially horizontal series of rollers on which carrier-rods rest to be frictionally rotated, means for driving said rollers, a traverse-bar extending along the series of rollers and arranged to lift the carrier-rods from the rollers and 'deposit them in an advanced position along the series, and two separate driving mechanisms for operating the traverse-bar whereof one mechanism imparts a reciprocating motion to the bar in the direction of its length, and the other mechanism imparts arising and fallin motion to the bar transversely of the direction of its length, each driving mechanism having recurring periods during which it is inoperative to move the traverse-bar and the driving mechanisms being so co-ordinate'd that each is operative during the inoperative periods of the other.

4. A washing, bleaching or like machine, comprising a substantially horizontal series of rollers on which carrier-rods rest to be frictionally rotated, means for driving said rollers, a traverse-bar extending along the series of rollers and arranged to lift the carrier-rods from the rollers and deposit them in an advanced position along the series, and two separate driving mechamsms for operating the traverse-bar whereof one mechanism imparts a reciprocating motion to the bar in the direction of its length, and the other mechanism imparts a rising and falling motion to the bar transversel of the direction of its length, each driving mechanism having recurring periods during which it is inoperative to move the traverse-bar and the drlvin mechanisms being so co-ordinated that eac is operative during the inoperative periods of the other, and that there is overlapping of the operative periods of the driving mechanisms. 5. A washing, bleaching or like machine, comprising a substantially horizontal series of rollers on which carrier-rods rest to be frictionally rotated, means for driving said rollers, a traverse-bar extending along the series of rollers and arranged to lift the carrier-rods from the rollers and deposit them in an advanced 'position along the series, and two separate co-ordinated cam mechanisms for operating the traverse-bar, whereof one cam mechanism imparts a reciprocating motion to the bar in the direction of its length, and the other cam mechanism imparts a rising and fallin motion to the bar transversely of the direction of its length. 6. A washing, bleaching or like machine, comprising a substantially horizontal series of rollers on which carrier-rods rest to be frictionally rotated, means for driving said rollers, a traverse-bar extending along the series of rollers and arranged to lift the carrier-rods from the rollers and deposit them in an advanced position along the series, and two separate co-ordinated cam mechanisms for operating the traverse-bar, whereof one cam mechanism embodies a lever arranged to impart an alternate pull and push to the bar in the direction of its length and has a connection to the bar which permits of rising and falling movement of the bar, and the other cam mechanism includes cam surfaces upon which the bar rests, which surfaces are rotated under the bar to impart a rising and falling motion to the latter transversely of the direction of its length.

7. A washing, bleaching or like machine, comprising a substantially horizontal series of rollers on which carrier-rods rest to be frictionally rotated, a traverse-bar extending along the series of rollers and arranged to lift the carrier-rods" from the rollers and deposit them in an advanced position along the series, two separate co-ordinated driving mechanisms for operating the traverse-bar, whereof one mechanism imparts a reciprocating motion to the bar in the direction of its length, and the other mechanism imparts a rising and falling motion to the bar transversely of the direction of its length, and a single source of power for operating the said rollers and the said traverse-bar driving mechanisms.

8. A washing bleaching or like machine, comprising a su stantially horizontal series of "rollers on which carrier-rods rest to be frictionally rotated, a traverse-bar ex? tending along the series of rollers and arranged to lift the carrier-rods from the rollers and deposit them in an advanced position along the series, two separate co-ordinated driving mechanisms for o erating the traverse-bar, whereof one mec ianism imparts a reciprocating motion to the bar in the direction of its length, and the other mechanism imparts a rising and fallin motion to the bar transversely of the direction of its length, a single source of power for operatin the said rollers and said traverse-bar driving mechanisms, and speed-changing gear interposed between the said traverse-bar driving mechanisms and the said source of power.

In testimony whereof we have slgned our names to this specification.

JOHN LEVER. HAROLD HILL. 

